Guardian Angel
by GrayWolf84
Summary: The unfortunate consequences of an author's errant imagination, now published for your entertainment.  Complete.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Well, long time no see! Okay, check my profile for general notes, but regarding this story in particular - this has been sitting in my dusty hard drive for years - written around the same time as CDIN, actually, and I really didn't think it was worth posting. But, I thought you guys might be entertained anyhow. This story strays pretty far from my usual fanfic rules and standards, and is the product of a "Hmm, what if. . .?" line of thought. You have been warned.**

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**Chapter 1: Wreck**

He didn't understand exactly what was going on, but he didn't like it. Voices talked and shouted, loud and urgent. Hands picked him up and moved him, many times. Lights shone bright and confusing in a blur of colors. But mostly, it hurt. Nowhere in particular – just everywhere. It hurt more when they moved him, and more when they touched him, and he shied away from the pain. It was too much. And far from the pain, cool darkness swallowed him.

He heard Daisy and Uncle Jesse, sometimes Cooter too, and even Rosco and Boss Hogg, once or twice. But their voices were distant, like they were calling down to him from the heights of a great hill, to where he stood at the bottom. The hill was too great to climb, too thickly shrouded in the dense forest that surrounded him, and he found another path.

No wider than a deer trail, he followed the narrow path as it wound along a lazy creek, then branched away and led up a gentler slope. The slow walk was tiring, but eventually he rose above the treeline, and he could finally look around. To his surprise he found himself standing high on Ridge Runner's Road, looking out across Hazzard.

Somewhere behind him, back the way he came, he still heard the calls of his family and friends, but he wouldn't answer. He knew something was wrong. There was one voice he didn't hear, and one name they studiously avoided saying around him. He didn't know if it was worth it to go back.

Then the sound of an engine coming up the road caught his attention – no, two engines – three – and then a fourth. As he watched, a car appeared, a gray sedan, speeding around the bend, closely followed by a bright orange Charger, then a sheriff's cruiser and a white Jeep bringing up the rear. The occupants of the gray sedan were shooting feverently at the orange car, and one of the gunmen proved a far better shot than the usual crooks who passed through Hazzard. One bullet smashed through the windshield into the driver, closely followed by a second that took out a tire. The rapid result was a high-speed mangled wreck of an orange Charger, with two equally mangled Dukes somewhere inside. The sheriff's car and the Jeep screeched to a halt while the gray sedan made its escape, and as Jesse Duke ran up to the smoldering wreckage, the scene faded, and the road was empty once more.

He frowned, brow creasing. He knew what he had seen, and he knew now what had come of it. It was a terribly lonely feeling.

He turned to look back over the forest and hills, when something now on the road caught his eye - the General Lee, shining like the first day they crossed that finish line, and a very familiar figure leaning against the hood.

"Bo…"

The blond smiled in greeting. "Hey cuz." He gestured to where the violent scene had disappeared moments before. "That was somethin' else, huh?"

Luke shook his head. "It was so fast…"

Bo gave a lopsided smile and clapped Luke's shoulder as he walked over. "Hey, it's me, y'know?"

Luke had to chuckle a little, but his smile quickly fell. "What now?"

Bo became serious. "Well, now, you've got a decision to make." Luke looked up at him, brows raised. "You can hike back – or not."

Luke frowned pensively. "But you don't get that choice?"

Bo shook his head, and opened his yellow shirt to show the bullet wound that instantly took his life. "No, I don't get that choice."

Luke looked out towards the distant hill, seemingly insurmountable, where he knew Daisy and Uncle Jesse waited. "It's a long way," he murmured, almost to himself.

Sensing his indecision, Bo looked at his cousin solemnly. "They need you, Luke."

The dark-haired Duke hung his head. "You don't think we need you too?"

Bo smiled a little. He expected this. "Luke, go back," he pushed. "You've got a lot of life ahead of you. You _don't_ need me, you never have. And I'll still be with you, right here," he touched his palm to Luke's chest, over his heart.

Tears welled in Luke's eyes, and began to fall as he shook his head. "No, Bo – I've always needed you, and depended on you, even when we were at our worst. It won't be the same without you."

Bo slung an arm around his shoulders, brotherly and consoling. "I know, Luke, but…" But even he was at a loss for words.

They stood there quietly for a while, while Luke searched over the long distance home and deep into his heart. Finally he turned to Bo, sniffing a little.

"Can we take the General?" he asked, pointing towards the distant hill.

Bo smiled again and shook his head. "That ain't where this road leads. Only way back is down the trail."

Luke looked with sad eyes to the footpath that led him here, then looked back to Bo. "Can you walk with me?"

Bo nodded. "A little ways."

When Luke was ready, they set out, down the trail and into the forest again, away from the ridge. Luke found it was much harder going back, and he tired quickly, often stopping to rest, but Bo was right there to lean on every step of the way. He had no sense of time in this place of eternal golden afternoon, but it seemed to take some while before they reached the great hill. Bo led the way to another path that sneaked up the hillside, all the way to the top, but here he stopped.

"This is as far as I can go, cuz," Bo said, looking at Luke.

Luke returned his gaze with sad eyes. "Will I see you again?"

Now Bo smiled again. "Like you could ever be rid of me!" he teased.

Luke smiled. "Promise?"

"I promise. Blood brothers, remember?"

Bo offered his hand, and Luke clasped it, feeling anew the sting in the scar on his palm.

"I'll miss you, Bo."  
"I won't be very far, Luke."

The hand clasp turned into a fierce hug, and Bo patted his back. "Better get going, before it gets too late."

Luke nodded, drawing a deep breath.

"Go on!" Bo urged, before he said anything more.

Sighing, Luke nodded, and set foot on the new path. A few short steps proved this path far more difficult than the forest trail, and he looked back where Bo stood below, beginning to regret his decision to return.

"Go on, Luke! You can do it!" Bo called up to him, and the distance hid the worry in his eyes.

Luke took another deep breath and felt new strength wash into him, the scar on his palm tingling. He set his sights on the summit of the hill, and set his legs moving forward. Each time he stopped to rest and look back, Bo was farther and farther away in the distance, while the top of the hill seemed to get no closer. Eventually Luke lost sight of Bo entirely, but he could still feel his cousin urging him onwards. He hardly realized it when he rounded a bend in the path and found himself awash in the blinding sunlight at the hilltop. The afternoon glare was so bright, he turned his head away and shut his eyes tightly, raising a hand across his face. Then, just as suddenly, the glare was gone, and he slowly opened his eyes.

"There's my boy," came Uncle Jesse's soft, rough voice, followed shortly by the blurry image of his face. As Luke's vision cleared, he could see the lines of worry and care in Jesse's old features, as he leaned down to kiss Luke's brow.

"Uncle Jesse," Luke tried to say, but all that came out was a hoarse rasp.

Then Jesse moved back a little, and Daisy leaned in with a smile and a kiss. "Hey there, Luke. We missed you. How ya feelin'?"

When Luke tried to answer, Daisy saw his trouble and brought the straw of a glass of water to his lips. After a few sips, his parched throat was able to answer.

"Okay."

Tiredly, he tried to look around the room. He saw cards, flowers, the usual hospital fare, but also framed pictures, extra clothes, little decorations, all of which gave the room a very lived-in feel. Luke looked confusedly at Daisy, who took a seat beside him.

"You're been here a very long time, sweetheart," she explained gently. "Nearly five months."

On one level, Luke was shocked, but on another, he wasn't. Nothing hurt anymore – his broken bones and torn flesh had all healed while he lay comatose and on life support, leaving an array of scars and weary aches, but no real pain. It was a miracle alone that he hadn't bled to death at the scene of the wreck, as long as it had taken from them to pull him out. Then it was many long, hard weeks for Daisy and Jesse, as they buried Bo and prayed they wouldn't be burying Luke beside him. The thieves had even been caught and brought to justice, serving life sentences in a maximum security prison, but to Jesse and Daisy nothing compared to seeing Luke's blue eyes again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Dreams**

It was another week before Luke was released to his family's care, when he could stomach solid foods and walk on coltish legs again. Once home, Luke was treated to a huge Welcome Home party, and most of Hazzard was there, but he was asleep on the couch after hardly forty-five minutes of happy celebration.

Over the next several weeks, Luke slowly regained his strength, staying close to the farmhouse. He ate like a lion and slept like a hibernating bear, and steadily put back on the pounds of muscle and flesh he'd lost in the hospital. He was quieter without Bo around to bring out his playful side, and the farmhouse was quieter too, but he took the news unusually well, Jesse thought. He shed tears when they visited Bo's grave, and when asked, he quietly answered that he didn't intend to rebuild the General, but otherwise, life went on.

One evening, a month after his homecoming, Daisy sat with Luke on the porch swing. He had been playing at his guitar while she sang, but when he started to doze, she set the guitar aside and wrapped her arms around her cousin, letting him fall asleep against her. She looked out across the quiet farmyard and felt a familiar pang in her heart.

"Oh Luke, I miss him so much," she whispered.

"He misses you too, Daisy," Luke murmured sleepily in her arms.

"What do you mean, Luke?" Daisy asked gently, dabbing at her tears.

"Bo – he tol' me so," Luke answered.

Daisy was a little worried now. "Luke, hon, you know Bo can't talk to us anymore, he's gone."

"Mmmm," was Luke's response, all but asleep.

Daisy hugged him close and kissed him, hoping his words were the product of a dream and not some residual effect of the wreck. She held him for some time, watching the stars come out, before she began to doze herself, and she was soon fast asleep beside him.

_It was a pleasant dream. Daisy walked along a cool stream on a warm summer afternoon, in sharp contrast to the chill November air she fell asleep to. It took her a few minutes to realize it was Bear Paw Creek, and tears came to her eyes. Around the bend in the path ahead was the little hollow where three Duke children playing hooky would meet up to fish the day away. She hadn't been back there in ages._

_Her feet followed the old familiar path with wistful sadness, but her eyes were shocked at the sight that greeted her. There in the meadow of the little hollow sat the General Lee in all his glory, and sitting on the hood, Bo and Luke chatted back and forth, relaxed and happy._

Daisy gaped in shock, rooted to the spot, and she knew this wasn't quite entirely a dream. The boys broke off their conversation to look up. Luke smiled, eyes twinkling, and Bo grinned.

"Gone, huh?" he remarked. An instant later, his arms were full of his lady cousin, hugging him tight.

"Oh Bo!" she finally gasped. She started to step back, then hugged him again, and pulled away just enough to look up at him. "How…how…?"

Bo just shrugged and grinned. "Does it matter?"

Daisy hugged him again, tears on her cheeks, and she looked over at Luke. "You could have told me."

Luke just shrugged and smiled too. "And you wouldn't have thought I was crazy?"

Daisy blushed a little – that had been her worry, on the porch swing.

After that, Daisy was full of questions for both her cousins. She sat up on the hood of the General with them, and they talked for the first time in months, laughing and crying in turn. The sunlight never faded, and Daisy lost all track of time, but eventually Bo fell quiet and looked up.

"Time to go?" Luke asked.

Bo nodded. "Time to go. Uncle Jesse will worry."

Daisy looked from one cousin to the other. "Will I see you again?" she asked Bo.

He looked sad – he couldn't give her the same answer he'd given Luke. "I don't think so, Daisy. It's easier for Luke – he still ain't all healed yet, an' he spent for much time here before…" He saw the tears forming in her eyes and smiled weakly for her sake. "It's not forever, Daisy. I'll still be there, even if you can't see me. If you talk, I'll listen – I just can't talk back, for a change."

Daisy attempted a smile as the tears spilled over again.

"Come here, sweetheart." Bo wrapped her in a warm embrace, and she held him tight, knowing it would be for the last time. At long last, she pulled away and wiped her eyes.

"I guess most folks don't even get this much," she said, sniffing.

Luke put a comforting arm around her shoulders, sympathizing with her pain.

"I love you Daisy. I always will," Bo said softly from the hood of the General.

"I love you too, Bo. You take care of yourself," she said, then laughed a little, realizing it was a silly thing to say.

"'Bye, Daisy."

"'Bye, Bo."

There were tears in Bo's eyes as Luke led their lady cousin back down the path and out of sight.

It was late morning when Luke and Daisy stirred from where they slept on the porch swing, covered with blankets Jesse had spread over them.

"Weellll, it's about time you two got up and joined the living," was Jesse's only comment.

Daisy never spoke of that night's dream to Luke, but she knew by the look in his eye that it had been as real as she thought. Nor did she ever ask him about the other nights when he slept so soundly and deeply that no amount of clamor could wake him, and in the morning he awoke refreshed and in a jovial mood.

Fall faded into winter, and Luke eased back into the regular schedule of early mornings and farm chores, though no one begrudged him the occasional afternoon nap. Towards the end of January, though, his still-weakened body took ill, and Jesse spent several sleepless nights trying to cool his fever. And one night, overtired himself, Jesse fell asleep at Luke's bedside, late in the early morning hours.

_After running 'shine and living sixty-eight full years in Hazzard, Jesse instantly recognized the hollow on Bear Paw Creek where he and his brothers played hooky once upon a time. But he also immediately knew that this was no place in Hazzard, despite appearances, and this was no ordinary dream. His suspicion was confirmed when a familiar gleaming orange car came into view, and a lean, long-legged blond stood there waiting for him._

"Bo…" he whispered, drawing the boy into his arms and holding him tight.

"Uncle Jesse…" Bo returned the greeting hoarsely.

After some time, Jesse broke the embrace and stepped back to look his nephew up and down. Then he looked around at the creek and trees, wonder in his eyes.

"What is this place?" Jesse asked, looking back to Bo.

"A place where Luke can rest, when he needs to," Bo answered simply. Jesse followed his gesture, and for the first time he noticed Luke asleep among the gnarled roots of a cottonwood tree nearby. "He's been so tired lately, with this flu."

Jesse nodded, even more amazed, but he turned his attention back to Bo. "Are you well?" he asked.

The blond smiled and nodded. "It's not bad, Uncle Jesse. I have the General, at least. But I miss you guys."

"We all miss you, Bo. There's nothing I wouldn't give to change what happened, but I know the Good Lord has his plans…" Jesse swallowed hard. He had seen the mangled bodies of both his boys pulled from the wreckage, while Enos held Daisy back. It was a token blessing when the coroner reported Bo had died instantly from the gunshot wound, and not in the slow agony Luke had endured.

With sad eyes, Bo looked up at his uncle. "I know, Uncle Jesse." He looked off into the trees, attentive to something Jesse couldn't see or hear, and he looked downcast. "I'm sorry, Uncle Jesse, but…" He looked back at the path, and Jesse understood.

"I have to go?" Bo nodded. Jesse sighed. "If I have to. It's more than I could hope for, getting to see you one last time, and knowing Luke is well looked-after. He's pretty lonely these days."

Bo looked over at his sleeping cousin. "I know. I wish thing were different, but if wishes were fishes…"

"…We'd be frying catfish morning, noon, and night," Jesse finished with a smile. He pulled Bo into another hug. "I love you, Bo."

"I love you too, Uncle Jesse." There were tears in Bo's eyes again, not only because his uncle had to leave, but because he knew just how soon he'd return to this place for good. "Take care of yourself, huh?"

"I will, Bo, I will."

When Jesse woke, it was morning. Luke was sleeping peacefully, fever abated, and Jesse leaned in to kiss his brow before getting ready for the day's chores.

It wasn't long before Luke closed his eyes one night in the weariness of a hard day's work, and he found himself once again in that most restful of places. He frowned, though, when he came through the trees and Bo didn't greet him with quite his usual bright grin. Worried, Luke bypassed the usual pleasantries and cut to the chase.

"What's wrong?" he asked with a frown.

Bo sighed. Luke always knew how to read him. "Luke…" Another sigh. "I don't know how to explain, but I can't…we can't meet like this anymore."

Luke looked away, hoping to hide the crushed expression and welling tears. He knew this day would come…he just wasn't expecting it to be today.

"You're almost back to your old strength," Bo went on, "and they…they want me somewhere else. I don't know much about it, but…"

Luke hung his head. "It's okay, Bo. I know you don't have control over these things any more than I do." He sighed. "Like Daisy said, most folks don't get this much."

Bo nodded, but it was still hard, for both of them. Trying to make the most of their time, they attempted to talk as they had before, but the overriding sadness in the air kept drawing their conversation into silence. At last, it was time to say goodbye.

"I promise, no matter what, I'll be watching over you and Daisy and Uncle Jesse," Bo whispered, hugging his cousin tight.

"I know…we'll watch for you in the stars, little cousin."

"I miss you already, Luke."

"Shhh, I know, it'll be okay, Bo," Luke found himself comforting, even though his heart was breaking all over again.

As he walked away into the trees, Luke heard the roar of the General's engine somewhere behind him, and the first notes of 'Dixie' sounding out through the forest and the engine faded in the opposite direction.

There were tears on his pillow when he woke up.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Changes**

The weeks passed by, and winter rolled inexorably into spring. Luke was quieter than ever, and he threw himself into the heavy work of the farm and spring planting. When they saw how poorly he slept most nights, Jesse and Daisy both guessed the cause, and they mourned with him, their last link to Bo gone.

March came and went, then April, and the rapid approach of Bo's birthday struck them all hard. Usually the boys would be spending every spare minute working on the General, getting him ready for the summer races, but now Luke just wandered the farmyard alone, hollow-eyed and a little lost.

So it came on the day of Bo's birthday, Jesse decided not to let Luke lose himself in the work of the fields, and he sent him into town with Daisy for a long list of groceries and supplies. Luke wasn't much in the mood, so he ushered Daisy on into the stores, while he took a slow walk around Hazzard Square.

No one much bothered the lone remainder of the inseparable duo as he walked down the street, hands stuffed sullenly in his pockets. Not even Rosco had the heart to chase him anymore – there wasn't even a General Lee to chase. All that was left of the ferocious Charger was a battered panel of orange hanging on the wall of the Boar's Nest beside a black and white photo – a memorial to one good ol' boy and one good ol' car.

It was a quiet morning, and Luke walked along, lost in thought, when a muddle of yips and whimpers drew his attention. There by the church steps sat a freckle-faced boy of ten – Freddy Dunkirk, from a farm on the south end of the county – and beside him was a box of squirming, squealing eight-week old puppies. Someone's Aussie Shepherd had found the Dunkirk's golden retriever, and the result was a litter of mixed-breed pups they were giving away for free.

With a small smile, Luke leaned down to pet the cute little pups, and the five of the clamored for his attention, but one was persistent above all the others. It nipped at his fingers and chewed at his sleeve, and when he started to walk away, the pup set up such a mournful howl that Luke was forced to return and give it more attention. He sat on the church steps and picked up the pup, talking quietly with Freddy Dunkirk while the pet the squirming bundle of fur in his lap. After a little while, though, he stood and returned the pup to the box. No sooner had he set it down than the pup began loudly complaining again, and he stopped as soon as Luke knelt down close.

"What, little guy?" Luke asked softly. "I know you want a home, but Uncle Jesse would sure be mad if I brought home another mouth to feed. You're not on the shopping list."

The pup yapped indignantly, and pushed his nose into Luke's hand again. Luke sighed and leaned in close, letting the pup lick his jaw. The blue eyes met blue eyes for the briefest moment, and Luke's breath caught in his throat. In a quick movement, he scooped the puppy up and stood, holding him at eye level. The pup regarded him seriously for a moment, then wriggled again and tried to lick Luke's nose.

"I'll take him," Luke said to the freckle-faced boy, and even though the pups were free, Luke gave him the two dollars he had in his pocket.

Luke was smiling as he strode along the sidewalk towards Jesse's pickup truck, holding the wiggly yellow puppy in his arms. Daisy met him a few minutes later, holding two bags of groceries, and she smiled as she cooed and petted the puppy.

"He's so cute!" she exclaimed as he licked her fingers.

"He's ours," Luke replied happily, setting the pup down to yip and run around their feet.

Daisy looked up at Luke with eyebrows raised in surprise, then nodded acceptance. She hadn't seen Luke smile in a long time, and if a dog would help, then so be it. Maybe man's best friend could heal the hole in his heart left by Luke's best friend.

Luke and his newfound companion joined Daisy for the rest of the errands, and by the end of the day, they had a collar and license for the little puppy, but no leash. The feisty little thing refused to be leashed by anyone's hand, baring milk teeth even when Luke tried, and Luke gave in with amusement. As they walked along, sometimes the pup trailed at Luke's heels, and sometimes he ran excitedly ahead, but he always came when called and never wandered far.

In the truck on the way home, the Duke cousins initially set the pup on the truck bench between them, but that didn't last long. Luke hadn't even started the engine when the newest member of their family scrambled up his shirt and onto his shoulder, balancing hind paws on the seat back and front paws on Luke, looking out excitedly through the windshield. Luke surprised Daisy by speeding on the way home, for the first time since the accident, while the pup yapped and danced on the seatback behind him. Once, good reflexes on Luke's part kept the pup from tumbling out the window on a curve when he scampered too close to the edge. Luke gave him a disapproving frown, but the pup wouldn't be discouraged, and was soon right back up on the seat back. Daisy kept a close watch on him for the rest of the trip.

"I was about to send out a search party for you two!" Jesse teased from the porch when the truck pulled up. He could see both niece and nephew smiling as Luke parked the truck, and it made him smile too. "Did you find everything?"

"Everything on the list…and a little bit more," Luke replied, climbing out. He reached into the truck, and Jesse couldn't quite see what he set on the ground, but in another second, a small yellow cannonball launched himself at the Duke patriarch, yipping and barking madly.

"Well, who's this little fella?" Jesse asked, sitting down on the porch steps to pick up the puppy. So _this_ was why Daisy and Luke were smiling.

"He's a Duke, now," Luke answered, gathering up the groceries from the truck bed. His tone had just a hint of defense in it, waiting for Uncle Jesse to challenge him. He needn't have worried.

"I see. Well, what are we gonna name him?" was Jesse's only response.

Daisy looked to Luke. As far as she was concerned, it was his dog, and his decision. For his part, Luke had to keep from saying the right and proper name for the pup – it would only upset his uncle and remaining cousin. Instead, he thought, and found a compromise.

"Well, if he's a Duke, let's just let him keep that name, plain and simple – Duke."

So Duke it was, and the pup bore the name proudly, following his family inside as groceries were put away and dinner was started. Jesse was a little leery of having another mouth to feed and provide for or another animal to be responsible for, but he was accepting of the puppy for the same reasons as Daisy – if Luke was happy, then Jesse was happy. It didn't hurt when the adorable little thing crawled into Jesse's lap after dinner and promptly went to sleep, yawning puppy yawns.

When Luke stood to turn in early, though, the pup was up and scampering after him. He chuckled when the energetic ball of fur tried jumping onto his bed, but wasn't big enough by half. He fell back onto his rump, whining unhappily. Luke picked him up and set him on the bed, laughing again when the pup made a game of wriggling and burrowing among the blankets. Jesse and Daisy both smiled to hear the happy sound from down the hall.

Later, when Jesse looked in, Luke was sleeping soundly under the blankets with the pup curled up against his ribs, under his protective arm.

Jesse hadn't really kept dogs since the three young Dukes arrived at his door – keeping up with Bo and Luke was difficult enough. But this yellow mixed-breed pup was unlike anything he'd seen before. He was unusually smart, to begin with, and there were times Jesse was certain the pup understood every word he was saying. The only thing that truly exasperated Jesse about the newest member of their family was his incorrigible appetite for chasing chickens. The chubby little pup would race around the farmyard full tilt, yapping excitedly, tongue hanging out, delighting in the squawks and flying feathers of the old biddies. Jesse would run after him, trying to catch him, and it became a great new game – the puppy chasing the chickens, and Jesse chasing the puppy. The first time, Luke nearly busted a gut laughing from the porch, and later he was sure Jesse did it just to hear him laugh.

No one could deny how much that yellow pup loved the Duke family, too. He'd sit quietly by Uncle Jesse's side at night, listening to the radio, fetching the newspaper or his slippers before Jesse even asked. He'd trail along at Daisy's heels while she went about her chores, waiting hopefully for the sudden games of chase or hide-and-go-seek that would set her giggling with laughter. But the pup spent most of his time with Luke – doing farm chores, driving to town, hunting, fishing. Jesse commented to Daisy once in the fall that the half-grown pup guarded Luke like a sheepdog with a stray lamb, as he watched Duke chase Luke in from working too late and long in the fields, growling and nipping at his heels.

In this way, as spring passed into summer and summer faded into fall, the Duke farm became a happy household again, between Luke's laughter and the pup's constant antics. The chubby puppy grew into a sleek, strong young dog, healthy and shining, with a silky coat of uniform buttercream fur but for a single white spot on his left breast. All of Hazzard grew to recognize Luke's constant companion, and even the Boar's Nest allowed the dog inside, where Luke would pour a bit of his beer into a bowl for his friend. As he found out, the handsome dog was a great draw for women too, and the mixed-breed mutt seemed to especially enjoy their attention.

It was one quiet afternoon in early October, towards the end of the harvest, when steady rains drove the men in from the fields. Luke was working doubletime to bring in the same barely sustainable income with half the manpower, so the rain was a welcome excuse to rest.

When Jesse came in from tending to Maudine, Luke was asleep at one end of the couch, and the half-grown pup Duke was snoozing at the other end. The yellow dog looked up when Jesse came in, and climbed down from the couch when Jesse sat down in his rocking chair. The old man smiled as the gangly pup sat beside him and rested his yellow head on Jesse's knee. The Duke patriarch reached out to scratch his ears, and the pup gave a soft whine.

"You're a good dog," Jesse told him, ruffling his fur. He sighed sadly. "Bo would have liked you."

At that, the gangly pup barked once and licked Jesse's hand excitedly, but the old farmer hushed him when Luke stirred and muttered on the couch.

"Shhh, don't you wake him. He needs the rest," Jesse scolded.

The pup looked back at Luke and whined again, then settled his head back on Jesse's knee, looking up with sad blue eyes. The old man smiled and scratched his ears again. With Daisy at work, the only sounds to be heard were Luke's soft, deep breaths and the gentle patter of rain on the roof.

The yellow dog took his role as sheepdog seriously, too. A stranger at the Boar's Nest soon learned his folly in picking a fight with Luke while the yellow dog stood at his feet. After exchanging a few angry words, Luke brushed the man off and turned away, but the stranger wouldn't let it go, and he struck Luke from behind with an empty beer bottle. A moment later the man found himself on the ground with sixty pounds of bristling, snarling, yellow fury standing on his chest, gleaming white teeth fastened on his forearm, while Luke picked himself up off the ground. Rosco, with his usual impeccable timing, entered the scene just as Luke was calling the dog off, and the stranger yelped to the sheriff for help. The yellow dog hid behind Luke as Rosco drew his gun and ordered the vicious animal be quarantined, but when the stranger was forced to bare his arm, there was naught but teethmarks temporarily embedded in his skin, and not a drop of blood shed.

Duke saved his life more than once, too. One morning, more than a year since his adoption, Jesse got up to go about his usual early morning routine, only to find the yellow dog waiting and whining anxiously by the door. At first, he blocked Jesse's exit, but when the old farmer ordered him out of the way, Duke finally obeyed. When Jesse went out, though, the dog went with him, whining occasionally and staying protectively – and obnoxiously - close underfoot. Later on, after breakfast, Luke and Daisy were heading for the door when the yellow dog dashed ahead and sat himself on the doormat, refusing to let them leave. Duke was even more adamant now, whining and even growling and snarling to keep them inside. Nothing could budge him, not even Jesse's wrath, and the Dukes were holed up for the rest of the day. It wasn't until the next morning that Jesse learned a rabid bear had been shot by a farmer down the road in the night. Luke found fresh bear tracks out behind the farmhouse and throughout the fields.

That winter, the yellow dog saved Luke's life another way. To bring in money to replace the lost racing income, Luke had taken to felling trees and cutting and selling logs for firewood. His long lumbering hours in the winter nearly matched the spring planting and fall harvest. One afternoon, miles from the farmhouse, a winter storm of sleet and snow blew up unexpectedly, and Luke was caught unprepared. The storm was blinding, and it was after dark before Duke was finally able to lead him, shivering and freezing, back to the farmhouse.

Daisy had a roaring blaze built in the fireplace when Jesse ushered Luke inside. Warm sweatpants and blankets quickly replaced his soaked clothing, and he was settled on the couch before the fire, dazed with cold and exhaustion. He had finally stopped shivering an hour later before he thought to ask where the yellow dog was. Jesse had forgotten the canine of the porch, his fur coated with ice. Duke whined softly as Jesse picked him up and carried him in, and Daisy gently dried him off before the fire while Luke watched. When she was done, Luke called to the dog and opened up his blankets. Duke readily jumped up and settled in alongside him, and Luke fell asleep with the dog's head tucked under his chin. Both man and canine were sick for days to follow, sneezing and wheezing and huddling in front of the fire to keep warm.

And so the yellow dog settled in with his family, and many more stories would accumulate over the years. Luke was always careful around the rest of his family, but when they were alone, he slipped into old habits, teasing and talking with his best friend, and the dog would answer, or seemed to, the way he yipped and barked and growled to make himself understood. Some things were still hard, and life was much different now, but it made Luke smile to think Daisy and Jesse would never guess that their guardian angel was watching them from right within their own home.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Guardian**

Bo had a heck of a time waking Luke that morning - usually it was the other way around. Camped out at Jesse's old still site #8, it was several hours after dawn when Bo's efforts finally had some effect. Quite unexpectedly, Luke jerked awake at the sound of his cousin's voice, and he stared up from the flat of his back, turning white as a sheet.

"You okay, cuz?" Bo asked with concern. "You look like you seen a ghost!"

Luke scrambled to his feet, looking around wildly and backing away from Bo.

"What…what…" Luke stammered, blinking hard. He stopped and took a deep breath. "Remind me again…what's going on…?"

Bo looked him over carefully, then said slowly, "Some thieves robbed Boss Hogg's place…Rosco pinned it on us…so we hid out here until this morning, an' now we gotta go catch them at their hideout."

Luke blinked hard again. That's right, that's what it was…

By now Bo had packed the last of the camping gear back in the General, and he was starting to climb into the driver's seat.

"Comin', Luke? If we hurry, we can get back home by lunch."

Luke was staring hard at the General, trying to piece things together. He looked up at Bo, waiting expectantly behind the wheel.

"Yeah – but let me drive."

Bo frowned. "Luke?"

"Bo, let me drive."

"Quick, Luke, they're turning onto the Ridge Road!"

"I see 'em, I see 'em!" Luke looked briefly across at his little cousin, who was grinning in the excitement of the chase. Luke wasn't smiling. His heart pounded in his chest. He knew how this day would end. "Bo, grab your helmet, and strap into the racing harness."

"What?.! Luke…!"

"Bo, just do it!"

"Alright, alright!"

Luke pressed the General onward, loving the feel of the road and the steering wheel and the wind on his face. Bo fumbled into the harness and helmet, looking worriedly across at Luke instead of at the chase. The grim determination in his cousin's eyes was fearsome.

Then the General swung around the corner with Enos and Dixie close on his tail, all three hot on the heels of the gray sedan, and the shooting began.

**The End**


End file.
